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Polaris, No

Poster
1961 (printed and published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This extremely rare poster represents a significant moment, both in British politics and graphic design. As British graphic design was developing its own distinctive character in the nineteen sixties, Robin Fior stands out for experimenting with graphic idioms that could communicate radical political messages to a mass audience.

This poster was designed for the Committee of 100, a British anti-nuclear organisation that advocated non-violent civil disobedience to achieve its aims, heralding the advent of mass social movements in British politics. Fior was a member of the Committee and was briefly jailed for sedition in connection with their activities. Within this new era of politics the ‘Polaris, No’ poster is one of the first examples of a graphic designer throwing his skills behind a cause, producing graphics to organise rallies and be carried in demonstrations.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePolaris, No (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph
Brief description
'Polaris, No' poster designed for the the Committee of 100 by Robin Fior, 1961
Physical description
Poster in blue and red with text in white and black
Dimensions
  • Height: 75.1cm
  • Width: 102cm
Credit line
Purchased with the support of the V&A Members Fund
Object history
This poster comes from the collection of the late David King, a renowned graphic designer who was Fior's student and his life-long friend.
Summary
This extremely rare poster represents a significant moment, both in British politics and graphic design. As British graphic design was developing its own distinctive character in the nineteen sixties, Robin Fior stands out for experimenting with graphic idioms that could communicate radical political messages to a mass audience.

This poster was designed for the Committee of 100, a British anti-nuclear organisation that advocated non-violent civil disobedience to achieve its aims, heralding the advent of mass social movements in British politics. Fior was a member of the Committee and was briefly jailed for sedition in connection with their activities. Within this new era of politics the ‘Polaris, No’ poster is one of the first examples of a graphic designer throwing his skills behind a cause, producing graphics to organise rallies and be carried in demonstrations.

Collection
Accession number
E.707-2018

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Record createdMarch 14, 2018
Record URL
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